Smallholder livestock farmers in Nigeria utilize traditional medicines derived from medicinal plants (PMs) for the maintenance of their animals' health. This study was designed to determine the PMs used in the study area and their level of utilization by livestock farmers, compare the level of utilization of PMs across the three states surveyed and identify the socio-economic factors influencing farmer's utilization of PMs. Thirty-five PMs were identified. Farmers had considerable knowledge about the identified PMs but about 80.0% of them used the PMs to poor/moderate extent. There were statistical differences in the utilization level of PMs among the three states. Six socio-economic variables were found to be statistically significant in influencing PMs' utilization. Farmer's age, household size, distance to the nearest veterinary hospital/clinic and extent of travels, had positive effects while negative effects were exhibited by farm income and number of heads of livestock. It was concluded that there was considerable knowledge about PMs and that utilization of PMs varied between the three states. It was recommended that local knowledge of PMs be preserved in the study area through screening and documentation.
A b s t r a c t A r t i c l e I n f oA field experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm (Crop section) of the Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria to examine the effects of organic, inorganic and organomineral fertilizer on the growth and yield of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L). The experiment was a 3 x 6 factorial scheme laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications per treatment. Three varieties of sugar cane (F141, Ibon007 and Hausani), five fertilizer sources (250kg/ha organomineral fertilizer, 5 tons/ha organic fertilizer, 5 tons/ha poultry manure, 200kg/ha organomineral fertilizer, and 200kg/ha NPK20:10:10) and control (no fertilizer/manure application) were used. The growth parameters assessed include: plant height (cm), stem girth (cm), number of leaves, and number of tillers; cane yield (kg/ha) and proximate and chemical composition of the cane was determined. Results from the study showed that the varieties differed in most of the growth and yield attributes measured. The improved sugarcane varieties (F141 and Ibon 007) produced significantly higher numbers of leaves and tillers compared to the local (Hausani) variety. The Hausani variety gave higher (but not significant (p=0.05) cane yield compared with the improved varieties. Application of 250kg/ha sunshine organomineral fertilizer also resulted in significantly (p =0.05) higher cane yields. The analysis of the proximate composition of the sugarcane varieties showed that the percentage ash, crude protein, carbohydrates, crude fibre, fats and moisture contents differed significantly across treatments. The highest percentages of crude protein and fibre were recorded in plots treated with 5t/ha poultry manure. Plots treated with 5 tons/ha organic fertilizer recorded the highest percentage of fat, while 200kg/ha organomineral fertilizer produced highest carbohydrate contents. Application of 250kg/ha of organomineral fertilizer produced overall highest growth and yield compared with other treatments. This result suggests that the use of organomineral and organic fertilizers should be encouraged in sugarcane production to obtain increase in the productivity of sugarcane.
A field experiment was conducted in 2018 and 2019 seasons at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Technology, Minna to determine the varietal response of maize to nitrogen and zinc fertilizer in Minna. The treatments included four levels of N: 0, 30, 60 and 90 kg ha-1, three levels of Zn: 0, 2.5 and 5 kg ha-1 and two varieties of maize (Oba Super 2 and Suwan-1-SR). The experimental design was a 4×3×2 factorial design fitted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The data collected were, plant height, number of leaves, cob weight, cob length, stover yield, grain yield and 1000 grain weight. All data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and the means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test. Highest plant height (43.69 and 44.37 cm) were obtained in 60 and 90 kg N ha-1 treatment application respectively in year 2018 at 3 Week After Sowing (WAS), these heights were significantly different from that of control (0 kg N ha-1). Zinc (Zn) fertilization has no significant effect on maize height at all growth stage of maize in year 2018. Application of Zn produced significantly taller plants than those without Zn application at 3 and 9 WAS in 2019. The treatment 60 kg N ha-1 had significantly higher yield (27873.7 kg ha-1) than others but similar to 90 kg N ha-1 (2512.4 kg ha-1). Application of 60 kg N ha-1 increased with 12 % than the 0 kg N ha-1 on maize yield in 2019. There was response to Zn fertilization on stover and grain yields. The interaction effects were significant on stover yield. The nitrogen rate of 60 kg N ha-1 and the zinc rate of 2.5 kg were optimum for maize grain yield in Minna, both Oba Super 2 and Suwan-1-SR performed better in the study.
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